A staff development specialist describes personal qualities demanded by that field: (1) a "watchbird" mentality, emphasizing self-awareness; (2) a clear sense of personal goals; (3) a sense of the mutuality of teaching and learning; and (4) willingness to take risks. Staff developers benefit from frequent returns to classroom teaching.…

Data from secondary school teachers' self -reported job descriptions were subjected to cluster analysis to identify intrinsic teaching roles. Six roles emerged, consisting of three status roles (administrative, pastoral, and departmental), and three style roles (practical, involved, and confined). Teachers' activity patterns, status, and…

Funded by the National Foundation for Educational Research, the project's aims were to investigate the perceptions which sixth-formers held of teaching and to monitor the progress of sixth-formers who decided to teach up to the time when they had completed their initial period as members of the profession. (Author/SSH)

Analyzed differences in first-year (N=50), fifth-year (N=49) and former (N=30) teachers on measures of efficacy, ego development, and problem solving. On measures of efficacy and ego development, both first-year and fifth-year teachers scored significantly higher than former teachers, but did not differ from each other. (Author)

Recounts an American teacher's experience of teaching English at a university in China and includes advice to others considering a similar teaching experience. (AEA)

Teachers have the lowest level of preparation of an established profession. An analytic model of teacher education helps identify what the components and strategies of teacher education could and should be. (Author/MLF)

A random sample of 93 lecturers responded to a questionnaire based on research on explaining. Findings indicate that their views on the learnability of various features of explaining are not related to their years of experience of lecturing, and there are significant differences between arts-based and science lecturers. (Author/MLW)

Most midwestern state college and university teacher education programs are establishing early field experience programs for students. This experience is often made a distinct element of the teacher education program and is required of all students. (CJ)

A sample of 116 British teachers completed Musgrove's scale assessing their attitudes toward behavior modification and its use in educational settings. Overall mean scores suggested ambivalence. Among background variables, only prior familiarity with behavior modification influenced teachers' attitudes toward it, confirming Musgrove's findings.…

The Fulton Project seems to have reduced student anxiety regarding student teaching by providing the students with (1) a gradual introduction to the teaching process, (2) the opportunity to experiment in a no-fail situation, and (3) the support of peers, cooperating teachers, and college professors. (MM)

Many colleges cannot provide sabbatical leave for teachers. With the "mini", short-term leave can produce long-term benefits. (Editor)

Offers some practical suggestions regarding a competency-based performance appraisal of student teachers. (Author/RK)

Examined how children approached digital imaging technology to produce a visual image and the knowledge and experience student teachers need to develop children's literacy. Found that children developed a range of strategies to assist them with technical skills. Student teachers needed support in analyzing the nature of the children's learning and…

Talks about how a teacher has changed her ideas over the course of her career and learned to grow with the times. Describes the process of professional growth and what is necessary for it to happen. (TB)